1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to traction splints.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been several attempts to design portable devices that provide external traction to an injured limb. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,971 to Borschneck describes an emergency leg splint that telescopes for length adjustment. However, splints like Borschneck""s are relatively large and heavy making them difficult to transport.
Splints designed to be portable such as Borschneck""s also do not provide a mechanical advantage, so these splints cannot be used to reduce fractures or relocate joints like the elbow, shoulder, knee or hip. Current portable splints are also generally designed specifically to immobilize a person""s leg or specifically to immobilize a person""s arm, so it is necessary to have available both a leg splint and an arm splint to select from depending on the limb injured. Furthermore, current portable splints cannot be adjusted to exactly fit the limb being supported.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a compact, lightweight versatile splint.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a splint having both a coarse and a fine adjustment device.
It is another object to provide a splint having a mechanical advantage.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a splint comprising: an outer member having a distal end and a proximal end; a middle member slidable in a longitudinal direction within the outer member, the middle member having a distal end and a proximal end; an inner member slidable in a longitudinal direction within the middle member, the inner member having a distal end and a proximal end; a coarse adjustment means for adjusting a distance between the distal end of the middle member and a proximal end of the outer member by a plurality of course increments; a fine adjustment means for adjusting a distance between the distal end of the inner member and a proximal end of the middle member by a plurality of fine increments.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a splint comprising: an outer member having a distal end and a proximal end; an inner member slidable in a longitudinal direction within the outer member, the inner member having a distal end and a proximal end; an adjustment means for adjusting a distance between the distal end of the inner member and a proximal end of the outer member by a plurality of fine increments.
In a third aspect, the present invention provides a splint comprising: an elongated member having a distal end and a proximal end; a cord means extending through a hollow portion of the elongated member, the cord means including: a distal securing means for securing the elongated member to a limb of an individual, the distal securing means mounted at one end to the distal end of the elongated member and a loop portion extending from the distal end of the elongated member; a free end for grasping by a user and for allowing a user to pull on the cord means to cause the loop portion of the distal securing means to pull the limb of the individual towards the elongated member; and a connecting portion connecting the loop portion of the distal securing means to the free end; and a proximal securing means for securing the elongated member to the limb of the individual, the proximal securing means being mounted on the elongated member at a position proximal to the distal end of the elongated member.
Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.